Chili lime marinated chicken, cilantro lime dressing, and a heap of veggies come together to make this hearty and savory Southwest Chicken Salad. Perfect for meal prep and healthy dinners!
The flavors in this healthy and filling salad are redefining what classic Southwest Chicken Salads should taste like! We’re going above and beyond by marinating the chicken in a load of spices and lime juice, making our own creamy cilantro lime dressing, and layering on the best toppings, like black beans, corn, avocado, and juicy cherry tomatoes.
Instead of cooking the chicken in a southwest sauce, we’ll first marinate it for a minimum of 30 minutes to ensure the smokey, spicy, and tangy flavors absorb into the meat. This results in a much juicer and tender chicken with a delicious crust on the outside. Sliced and topped onto a bed of lettuce and veggies, it’s the real star of this dish and helps transform the salad into a substantial meal.
Tossed in a creamy cilantro lime dressing, this southwestern chicken salad recipe packs a punch and doesn’t skip on the flavors. It’s a fresh and healthy choice you can make ahead of time for weekday lunches and dinners.
Ingredients you’ll need
- Chili lime marinated chicken breasts – Marinating skinless and boneless chicken in a spicy, tangy, and zesty marinade lends BIG flavor! Made with a handful of spices, ancho chili pepper, white wine vinegar, and lime juice, the chicken marinade is well-balanced and makes each bite mouthwatering.
- Romaine lettuce – It isn’t a salad without the lettuce! If you don’t have romaine at home, feel free to swap it for another green, like kale, spinach, butter lettuce, or iceberg lettuce.
- Salad toppings – Beef up this salad with fresh veggies like cherry tomatoes, black beans, corn, red onion, and avocado. You could even add some cotija cheese and guacamole for extra creaminess or crumbled tortilla chips for a crunch.
- Cilantro lime dressing – This creamy and tangy dressing can be served with just about everything. Made from cilantro, plain Greek yogurt, honey, lime juice, and a few other ingredients.
How to make southwest chicken salad
- Marinate the chicken: Place the chicken breasts in a bowl or zip-loc bag with all of the marinade ingredients. Leave it to marinate in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes.
- Cook the chicken: Working in 2 batches, cook the chicken in a hot skillet on both sides until it reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF. Transfer it to a cutting board and let it rest for a few minutes before slicing.
- Make the dressing: Place all of the dressing ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Assemble the salad: Add the lettuce, salad toppings, and sliced chicken to a large bowl. Drizzle the dressing on top, toss it all together, and serve!
Tips and variations
- For the best flavor, leave the chicken to marinate anywhere from 30 minutes to 8 hours. It shouldn’t be left any longer or else the acid will start to affect the texture of the meat.
- Want to make a vegan southwest salad? Replace the chicken with a plant-based alternative, chickpeas, or roasted sweet potatoes instead.
- Serve it with a different dressing, like my cilantro lime crema, chipotle sauce, or a citrus vinaigrette.
Making ahead and storing
I can’t think of a better salad to make ahead for weekday lunches. It’s full of protein, fats, and vegetables to fill you up and keep your energy levels high all day long.
To make ahead, cook the chicken and make the dressing. Store the chicken, salad, and dressing in separate containers. When it’s lunchtime, toss them all together and enjoy.
To store, keep the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge. Feel free to store the chicken separately if you want to use it in other meals like burrito bowls or quesadillas.
To reheat, place the chicken in the microwave and heat for 1 or 2 minutes until it’s warmed through. Assemble it on the salad and enjoy.
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Ingredients
For the chicken and marinade
- 4 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 6 oz each)
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, for the marinade
- 4 tablespoons lime juice (about the juice of 2 limes)
- 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ancho chili powder (if you don’t have ancho chili powder, just use regular)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons olive oil, for cooking chicken
For the salad
- 4-6 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup cooked black beans (canned is perfect)
- 1 cup cooked corn (canned is perfect)
- 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 avocado sliced
For the cilantro-lime dressing
- 1 cup cilantro, packed
- 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lime juice (about the juice of 1 lime)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions
To make the chicken
- Line a large cutting board with plastic wrap or parchment paper. Lay chicken breasts on top in a single layer, and then cover with another piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper.
- Using a meat mallet or a heavy skillet (cast iron works best), pound each chicken breast to about 1/2-inch thickness.
- Transfer the chicken to a large bowl or zip-top storage bag. Add all remaining ingredients for the marinade.
- Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Working in 2 batches, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Remove chicken from marinade and shake off any excess. Transfer to hot skillet and cook for 6-8 minutes on both sides, or until the internal temperature reaches 165F and is fully cooked.
- Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of olive oil and repeat the same steps with the remaining 2 chicken breasts.
- Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice and serve in salad when ready.
To make the cilantro-lime dressing
- Add all dressing ingredients to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.
To assemble the salad
- Place the chopped romaine lettuce in salad bowls and top with cherry tomatoes, beans, corn, red onion and sliced chicken.
- Drizzle with cilantro-lime dressing and serve.
Isabel’s Tips:
- To store, keep the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge.
- For the best flavor, leave the chicken to marinate anywhere from 30 minutes to 8 hours. It shouldn’t be left any longer or else the acid will start to affect the texture of the meat.
- Want to make a vegan southwest salad? Replace the chicken with a plant-based alternative, chickpeas, or roasted sweet potatoes instead.
Nutrition Information
This is a VERY GOOD salad. I had everything the recipe called for so it was a snap to put together. The marinade was perfect flavors for the chicken. I also grilled the chicken for the easiness and like getting a few charred end pieces for flavor. My dressing was “tart” but I had used 3 garlic cloves (I always use more garlic on recipes) but that was my fault for being over aggressive with them. I did crunch up some tortilla chips at the end. YUM!!!
I’m from New Mexico and subscribe to your emails so I always get inspired to try your recipes out. They never disappoint!
We’re having this salad for dinner tonight and I just finished making the dressing. It is SO INCREDIBLY good that this will be my go-to for most salads. I ended up using light sour cream instead of the yogurt because that’s what I had – still wonderful! Thank you for such a great dressing recipe.
Absolutely fabulous! I marinated the chicken for 3 hours and cooked on grill to lessen clean up. I really liked the dressing but husband didn’t care for tanginess which is what I like.
Isabel I made it, my family loved it. However I didn’t have any, cause I’m allergic to honey. Is there something else I can use. Thank you. And congratulations to you n husband en tu embarazo.
Hi! So glad your family enjoyed this recipe. You can use agave nectar, molasses, or rice malt syrup as a substitute!